Liz Erickson, 24, is the communications coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. And her previous boss – Allen Sommerfeld – was the four-time Celebrity Butter Carving Contest champion.

Liz Erickson (left) worked on her Ash tree as her Minnesota Department of Agriculture co-worker Becky Jorgensen whittled her slab of butter. (credit: CBS)

Talk about expectations as Erickson stepped into her first carving contest Thursday at the Fair.

Not only that, but when Erickson took over Sommerfeld’s office, the last personal item he removed was his prized butter-carving ribbons.

As for what to do with Erickson’s slab of butter, what else could she create but an intricate ash tree, helping raise awareness about the very bug she’s trying to help the state eliminate – the emerald ash borer.

“If I had more time, I would have made more branches,” she said, as the competitors had just 20 minutes to whittle away. “It definitely went fast.”

Rachel Slavik (left) and Liz Erickson shared a laugh over taking first and second for their artistic butter creation. (credit: CBS)

Is she bitter that her creation came up short? Not at all.

“I hadn’t seen the front of (Rachel’s) TV carving until the end,” Erickson admitted. “And once I saw that I knew she would win.”

Thursday was still a win-win for the butter-fanatic.

“I love butter,” she said. “People always ask if I want some bread with my butter.”

Thursday’s runner-up finish was still a win-win for butter-lover Liz Erickson: “People always ask if I want some bread with my butter,” she said. (credit: CBS)